ARTICLES ABOUT LAW FIRM BY DATE - PAGE 5

Saying it's a true story that outshines most Hollywood movie scripts, the trial of one of Scott Rothstein's former employees began Monday with her defense asking jurors to remember that Rothstein is a master deceiver who conned everyone from powerful politicians down to his almost powerless staff. Christina Kitterman - a lawyer who worked at the notorious Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler law firm until Rothstein's $1.4 billion Ponzi scheme blew up in his face - was just one of the lower-level people he fooled, her attorney told jurors.

Charlie Crist, who's seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, won't debate primary rival Nan Rich. Speaking to reporters before a Tuesday fundraiser, Crist was direct when asked - twice - if he expected to debate Rich. "I don't," he said both times. "This is not a race really about candidates. This is a race about people of our state: about teachers, about law enforcement officers, about firefighters. People that, in my opinion, have not been honored the way they deserve to be honored.

Who : Suzanne Bogdan, an equity partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP, was promoted to regional managing partner of the Fort Lauderdale office as a part of a planned transition and successor development within the firm. Why this is important to the overall organization : I am one of 31 regional office managers or team captains throughout the country. We, along with the three-member management committee, make up the operations group for the entire firm, which helps form policy and determine direction. My appointment is a positive step in the organization's commitment to developing more leaders within the firm.

A South Florida law firm will hold a free seminar Tuesday for community association board members and property managers. Kaye Bender Rembaum attorneys will answer questions submitted in advance and discuss recent changes to Florida law that affect community associations. Tuesday's event, part of a series throughout Palm Beach and Broward counties, will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Nob Hill Clubhouse, 10200 Sunset Strip in Sunrise. Send questions or topics for discussion to KBRLegalSeminar@piersongrant.com or call 954-776-1999, ext. 255. — Paul Owers

Clients who paid about $20 million in fees to a now-closed Fort Lauderdale mortgage relief company and its affiliates are likely to get back more than a third of what they paid, said the attorney overseeing the assets of Prime Legal Plans. Much of the money will come from the Federal Trade Commissio, which reached a nearly $3.6 million settlement this week with leaders of Prime Legal Plans and its related companies, said Fort Lauderdale attorney Charles Lichtman, the appointed receiver.

Keith Wasserstrom, a former Hollywood commissioner who served time after being found guilty of official misconduct, wants to clear his name. In an attempt to overturn his 2007 conviction, he filed an appeal Thursday in federal court in South Florida. "He's innocent," his Miami attorney, Richard Klugh, said on Friday. "We just can't let him drop it. It's just not right. " Wasserstrom, a lawyer and rabbi, could not be reached for comment Friday. Because of his conviction, the Florida Bar suspended his law license.

Coconut Creek is moving forward in the process of finding the right person, or law firm, to be the next city attorney. The city prepared a request for solicitation that will be sent out to the law community to see what interest individual attorneys and law firms would have in Coconut Creek. City Attorney Paul Stuart was scheduled to retire Jan. 2, 2014, but recently signed on until April 3, 2014, while the city looks for his replacement. "What we wanted to do is make sure we have a smooth transition in the city attorney's office," Stuart said.

Douglas Elliman Real Estate announced that Betsy S. Green is joining its Palm Beach office at 340 Royal Poinciana Way. Green has been working for the firm's New York office. She specializes in luxury homes in Palm Beach, New York City and the Hamptons. In 2006, she earned Douglas Elliman's Lifetime Achievement Award, the firm's highest honor. Palm Beach Financial Specialists, a 10-year-old tax service, has signed a lease at Dixie Plaza in West Palm Beach. The firm is expanding its lineup of 30 locations across the Southeast, taking 1,350 square feet in the center at 1401 Military Trail.

Recently, the law firm of Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley filed a federal lawsuit in Tallahassee, suing The Florida Bar claiming that the bar's ethics rules restricting law firm website content and posting on blogs was an unconstitutional infringement on their First Amendment rights. As a practicing attorney for over 30 years and a staunch defender of the First Amendment, not only do I support the law firm, but I also find these rules to be archaic, arbitrary and an affront to the legal profession.

TALLAHASSEE — A West Palm Beach law firm that has received more than $1.5 million to help coordinate strategy on sinkhole lawsuits for Citizens Property Insurance Corp. was awarded a $6.5 million contract Friday to serve in an expanded role for all claims litigation. The approval came over the objection of state Rep. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, who said the Citizens Board of Governors should take more time to review the proposal that he considers a "waste of policyholder money" through a "giveaway" to a well-connected law firm.